CHESHIRE'S top police officer has hailed crime statistics which show burglary is at its lowest since the turn of the century.

Cheshire police's Chief Constable Peter Fahy says the latest figures show most crimes have dropped, while the detection rate is up.

But despite the recent successes, which include powers to hit thugs with Anti-social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs), Mr Fahy is concerned the public's fear of crime is not being diminished.

He said: 'Burglary has dropped quite dramatically, and vehicle crime is going down as well.

'We arrested more people and brought more people to justice. We are answering more calls and making more arrests and I am delighted with that.

'Our frustration is the fact that although crime is coming down, the public are not feeling any safer.'

According to police figures unveiled on Thursday, burglary is down by 10%, vehicle crime has dropped by 8% and 16% more offenders are brought to justice.

Mr Fahy is also proud of the fact that 258 more police officers walk the beat in Cheshire than in 2000.

Though violent crime is up, Mr Fahy said that was as a result of new methods of reporting crime. He said it was less-serious incidents of violence, such as minor scuffles outside a pub, that had risen.

'Attacks by strangers in the street are very rare,' he said. 'But I would say if you don't go out drinking on a Friday and Saturday night, or if you are a female over the age of 39, you are less likely to be a victim.'

Mr Fahy pointed to the success of ASBOs in targeting persistent offenders, making it easier for police to arrest them if they return to their deviant habits. Anti-social Behaviour Contracts (ABCs) have also proved successful in curbing the behaviour of many yobs.

He said Operation Clean Sweep was perhaps the force's biggest success, the major drug-busting operation which took a number of dealers off the streets of Northwich and Winsford.

New police Community Action Teams (CATs) have also proved a big success in dealing with localised problems.

Mr Fahy had particular praise for Middlewich's Community Action Team.

'I don't want to single anyone out, but Sgt Gareth Woods and his team do a great job,' he said. They are a good example of an effective team with a really good profile in the local newspapers.'